Three Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT) terrorists, including a Pakistani commander, were gunned down by the joint team of security forces during an eight-hour long operation in the built up area of New Colony, in South Kashmir district of Pulwama.
The killed terrorists have been identified as LeT commander Aijaz @Abu Huraira resident of Pakistan, Javeed Ahmad Rather son of Abdul Ganie Rather resident of Tahab Pulwama and Shahnawaz Nazir Ganie son of Nazir Ahmad Ganie resident of Samboora Awantipora.
So far 77 terrorists have been eliminated by the security forces, majority of them in the South Kashmir area.
As per police records, "all the killed terrorists were part of a group involved in various terror crimes". The killed foreign terrorist Aijaz had a history of terror crime cases. He was also instrumental in recruiting innocent youth into terror folds besides, planning and executing several terror attacks in the area including attacks on Police and security establishments.
According to a spokesman of Jammu & Kashmir police, "the operation was launched late Tuesday night around 11.55 p.m in the New Colony Hospital road area of Pulwama on receipt of information about the presence of terrorists in the area" As the troops were laying cordon at around 1:20 am, terrorists opened fire on the troops and tried to escape taking advantage of darkness. Alert troops immediately returned fire and trapped the fleeing terrorists in a house. A call for surrender was given but terrorists fired indiscriminately and a fire fight ensued.
During an eight hours long operation all three terrorists were eliminated by the security forces and retrieved their bodies from the encounter site.
The security forces have recovered arms and ammunition including 2 AK rifles and a pistol from the site of the encounter.